Pocket sized telephone line data communication systems

• US 4,620,064 A
• Filed: 09/10/1984
• Issued: 10/28/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Information Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Novation LLC (Vizient, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nagy, Neil F., Kessler, Bayard F.
• Primary Examiner(s): George, Keith E.
• Application Number:
  US06/648,509
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 C, 179/2 DP, 179/6, 179/12, 179/103, 179/178
• US Class Current: 379/93.37
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2155 Acoustic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors

Abstract

Pocket sized telephone line data communication devices which include acoustic coupling capabilities are disclosed. The couplers have a primary body member housing a microphone (or speaker) adjacent one face surface thereof for disposition flat against the ear piece (or microphone) of a conventional telephone handset. A flexible slide structure having a speaker (or microphone) therein is coupled to the body member and is slideable with respect thereto to extend outward to cover the microphone (or earpiece) of the handset, the flexibility of the flexible member together with the slide allowing varying amounts of extension and angularity between the flexible member and the body to accommodate handsets of different spans between and angularity of the earpiece and mouthpiece thereof. With the flexible member at its extreme retracted position, the entire assembly is quite small, readily fitting within a man'"'"'s shirt pocket. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device for acoustic coupling to a telephone handset having first and second acoustic devices comprising

a body means having first and second ends and having a first acoustic coupler adjacent said first end thereof, said body means being a means for resting against a part of a handset whereby said first acoustic coupler may acoustically couple with a first acoustic device in a telephone handset

a slide means having a second acoustic coupler adjacent to an outer end thereof, said slide means being slideable with respect to said second end of said body means between a first retracted position whereby said slide means is substantially circumscribed by said body means and a second extended position whereby said second acoustic coupler is substantially spaced from said body means, whereby said slide means may be retracted when not in use, and the position of said slide means may be adjusted when in use so that said first and second couplers may simultaneously acoustically couple with said first and second acoustic devices in a telephone handset, and

means for coupling said device to a telephone handset.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said slide means is a flexible means, whereby said slide means may elastically deflect to accommodate an angularity between said first and second acoustic devices in a handset.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said body means and said slide means include contact means for making electrical connection between said body means and said second acoustic coupler, whereby electrical connection may be made to both said first and second acoustic couplers by making electrical connection to said body means.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for coupling said device to a telephone handset is an elastic member coupled to said body means.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said body means is comprised of a body assembly having said first acoustic coupler therein, and a frame means at least in part circumscribing said body assembly, said frame means being rotatably coupled to said body assembly adjacent said second end of said body means so as to be rotatable between a first position substantially coplanar with said body assembly and a second position substantially angularly displaced therefrom, said means for coupling said device to a telephone handset being coupled to said frame means.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said means for coupling said device to a telephone handset is an elastic member fastened to said frame means at spaced apart locations so as to substantially overlie said first acoustic coupler when said frame means is in said first position, whereby a portion of a handset may be placed against said first acoustic coupler when said frame means is in second position, and will be retained by said elastic means when said frame means is moved back to said first position.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein said slide means is slideable in said body assembly.

8. The device of claim 5 wherein said slide means is slideable in said frame means.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said slide means has a coupler region adjacent the outer end thereof containing said second acoustic coupler, and a rail-like adjacent each side thereof for sliding with respect to said body means, said rail-like members being coupled to said coupler region of said slide means substantially closer to said outer end of said slide means than said second coupler is located, whereby deflection of said rail-like members when the device is coupled to various handsets will generally encourage said second coupler to lie flat against said second acoustic device in such handsets, independent of reasonable variations in handset geometries.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said rail-like members have conductive regions thereon electrically connected to said second coupler, and said body means has cooperatively disposed contacts to make electrical contact to said conductive regions when the device is coupled to a telephone handset, whereby electrical contact may be made to said first and second couplers by a cable coupled to said body means.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said body means has a modem therein.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said body means also has a modular connector therein coupled to said modem, whereby said modem may be used as either an acoustic coupled or a direct connect modem.

13. A device for acoustic coupling to a telephone handset having first and second acoustic devices comprising

a body assembly having first and second ends and having a first acoustic coupler adjacent said first end thereof, said body assembly being a means for resting against a part of a handset whereby said first acoustic coupler may acoustically couple with a first acoustic device in a telephone handset

a frame means at least in part circumscribing said body assembly, said frame means being rotatably coupled to said body assembly adjacent said second end of said body assembly so as to be rotatable between a first position substantially coplanar with said body assembly and a second position substantially angularly displaced therefrom

a slide means having a second acoustic coupler adjacent to an outer end thereof, said slide means being slideable with respect to said second end of said body assembly between a first retracted position whereby said slide means is substantially circumscribed by said body assembly and a second extended position whereby said second acoustic coupler is substantially spaced from said body assembly, whereby said slide means may be retracted when not in use, and the position of said slide means may be adjusted when in use so that said first and second couplers may simultaneously acoustically couple with said first and second acoustic devices in a telephone handset and

means for coupling said device to a telephone handset, said means for coupling said device to a telephone handset being an elastic member fastened to said frame means at spaced apart locations so as to substantially overlie said first acoustic coupler when said frame means is in said first position, whereby a portion of a handset may be placed against said first coupler when said frame means is in second position, and will be retained by said elastic means when said frame means is moved back to said first position.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said slide means is a flexible means, whereby said slide means may elastically deflect to accommodate an angularity between said first and second acoustic devices in a handset.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said body assembly and said slide means include contact means for making electrical connection between said body assembly and said second acoustic coupler, whereby electrical connection may be made to both said first and second acoustic couplers by making electrical connection to said body assembly.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said slide means has a coupler region adjacent the outer end thereof containing said second acoustic coupler, and a rail-like member adjacent each side thereof for sliding with respect to said body assembly, said rail-like members being coupled to said coupler region of said slide means substantially closer to said outer end of said slide means than said second coupler is located, whereby deflection of said rail-like members when the device is coupled to various handsets will generally encourage said second coupler to lie flat against said second acoustic device in such handsets, independent of reasonable variations in handset geometries.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said rail-like members have conductive regions thereon electrically connected to said second coupler, and said body assembly has cooperatively disposed contacts to make electrical contact to said conductive regions when the device is coupled to a telephone handset, whereby electrical contact may be made to said first and second couplers by a cable coupled to said body assembly.

18. A device for acoustic coupling to a telephone handset having first and second acoustic devices comprising

a body assembly having first and second ends and having a first acoustic coupler adjacent said first end thereof, said body assembly being a means for resting against a part of a handset whereby said first acoustic coupler may acoustically couple with a first acoustic device in a telephone handset

a frame means at least in part circumscribing said body assembly and having first and second ends, said second end of said frame means being rotatably coupled to said body assembly adjacent said second end of said body assembly so as to be rotatable between a first position substantially coplanar with said body assembly and a second position substantially angularly displaced therefrom

a slide means having a second acoustic coupler adjacent an outer end thereof, said slide means being slideable with respect to said second end of said frame means between a first retracted position whereby said slide means is substantially circumscribed by said frame means and a second extended position whereby said second acoustic coupler is substantially spaced from said frame means, whereby said slide means may be retracted when not in use, and the position of said slide means may be adjusted when in use so that said first and second couplers may simultaneously acoustically couple with said first and second acoustic devices in a telephone handset;

and

means for coupling said device to a telephone handset;

said means for coupling said device to a telephone handset being an elastic member fastened to said frame means at spaced apart locations so as to substantially overlie said first acoustic coupler when said frame means is in said first position, whereby a portion of a handset may be placed against said first acoustic coupler when said frame means is in second position, and will be retained by said elastic means when said frame is moved back to said first position.

19. The device of claim:

18 wherein said slide means is a flexible means, whereby said slide means may elastically deflect to accommodate an angularity between said first and second acoustic devices in a handset.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein said body assembly and said slide means include contact means for making electrical connection between said body assembly and said second acoustic coupler, whereby electrical connection may be made to both said first and second acoustic couplers by making electrical connection to said body assembly.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein said slide means has a coupler region adjacent the outer end thereof containing said second acoustic coupler, and a rail-like member adjacent each side thereof for sliding with respect to said frame means, said rail-like members being coupled to said coupler region of said slide means substantially closer to said outer end of said slide means than said second coupler is located, whereby deflection of said rail-like members when the device is coupled to various handsets will generally encourage said second coupler to lie flat against said second acoustic device in such handsets, independent of reasonable variations in handset geometries.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein said rail-like members have conductive regions thereon electrically connected to said second coupler, and said body assembly has cooperatively disposed contacts to make electrical contact to said conductive regions when the device is coupled to a telephone handset, whereby electrical contact may be made to said first and second couplers by a cable coupled to said body assembly.

23. The device of claim 18 wherein said body assembly has a modem therein.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein said body assembly also has a modular connector therein coupled to said modem, whereby said modem may be used as either an acoustic coupled or a direct connect modem.